


Mission Prep - #4

by Waldo



Series: Five Times John and Carson Met Outside of Canon [4]
Category: Stargate Atlantis
Genre: Alternate Universe, First Meetings, Gay Bar, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2006-10-09
Updated: 2006-10-09
Packaged: 2017-10-06 01:02:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 869
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/47993
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Waldo/pseuds/Waldo
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>John needs to get away before he has to leave.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Mission Prep - #4

John knew that he probably should have been saying good-bye to his friends – those who wouldn't be shipping out with him in the morning – but he'd carefully ditched all the gatherings that had sprung up when his unit got their new orders. He'd told Dex he was going to the O-Club with Mitch and told Mitch he was going to the Sports Bar off-base that so many of the fly-boys liked to frequent with Dex.

Then he jumped in his car and headed out of town. One more night before he shipped off into an honest-to-god war zone. He'd seen some action – the Air Force would be nuts to send pilots into a war who hadn't flown against any live fire – but this was the first time he'd be going into an established armed conflict. Not a 'fly in and do your thing and hope they don't see you because they will shoot if they do' kind of thing. But a 'they **will** be shooting at you' kind of thing.

He was ready. He was trained and he was going in with a lot of good friends which guaranteed that he would walk through hell and back to make sure they got home again. But that couldn't stop that little voice that went 'are you out of your fucking mind?' whenever he thought about the reports coming in from Afghanistan.

He needed a night where no one expected the Brave Soldier front, where he didn't have to stand around and pretend to be looking forward to going off to kill someone.

It was two hours later when he parked behind the little club near some university campus or another. A place where someone his age would blend in and be completely unremarkable.

He nodded to the guy pressed up against the SUV he parked next to as another guy attempted to do a tonsillectomy on him, through the skin of his neck.

Yeah, this was exactly the kind of place he needed.

It was dark inside, with the bar and the dance floor lit by spotlights and neon trim. He had to be back on base and in tip-top shape by 0600, so he could only have a couple drinks, but he figured that with as much adrenaline as he was producing, a little buzz would go a long way.

He shouldered up to the bar and asked for some kind of imported beer. He was fishing for cash in his jeans pocket when someone bumped into him. He looked up to give the guy a piece of his mind and realized that he'd been jumping back to avoid a mild scuffle that had sprung up. As the guy started to turn and apologize, he missed seeing the elbow headed his way. John instinctively pulled him towards him and pushed the scufflers back at the same time, just in time for the bouncers to show up and grab them.

He watched as the guys got kicked out and then turned back to finally claim his beer.

"Excuse me, no' that I'm not grateful that you pulled me ou' of the way, but do ya think I might have my elbow back now?"

John blinked and looked down, surprised to find that he was still holding on to someone's arm.

"Oh, god, sorry." He released him quickly and glanced up just in time for one of the spinning disco lights to hit the other man's face just right and John realized that this guy had amazing blue eyes. He cast about for something else to say. "They didn't hurt you or anything, did they?" he asked in that awkward space of time that made it clear that he was trying to come up with something before the guy walked away.

"Oh, no, I'm fine. Thanks."

John nodded. "I'm John Sheppard," he said, quickly sticking his hand out. He'd barely stopped himself from introducing himself with his rank, remembering just in time that the whole point of the night was anonymity and forgetting about the Air Force for just a few hours.

"Doctor Carson Beckett."

Doctor Beckett had a strong grip and a warm smile.

"Let me guess, you're from out of town," John said smiling back.

"What gave me away?" Carson asked. "I'm presenting a paper at the university's genetics department on Thursday. I came a few days early to have a look around. I've never been to America before. It's my first day here."

"My last," John said before he realized that that kind of remark would only invite questions he didn't really want to answer.

Carson's eyebrow rose, but he didn't ask. John had never been so grateful in his life. "Can I get you a drink?" he asked as much from gratitude as to change the subject.

Carson gave him a wry smile. "That'd be lovely, but I was just leaving."

John nodded, feeling more disappointed than he'd admit even to himself. He was surprised when he felt a warm hand over his where it rested on the bar. "My hotel has a lovely pub. Maybe you could get us that drink on the way to my room."

Grinning ear to ear, John gestured to the door.


End file.
